Firefighters occasionally rely on open bodies of water, such as a pond, lake, or stream for example, as a water source in an emergency situation. A hose is placed into the water source and an adjacent pump connected thereto draws water through the attached hose. During operation, debris such as leaves and twigs can interfere with the functionality of the pump thereby causing problems with the delivery of the water. Floating devices designed for use with a firefighting hose are known and have been used by firefighters for decades. However, such assemblies are considerable in size and weigh up to approximately 50 pounds. Space on a firefighting vehicle is very limited; consequently many of these float assemblies have been removed such that when an open body of water must be used as a water source, the problem of the hose clogging from debris reoccurs.
Therefore, there is a need for a floating device that is lightweight and requires a limited amount of space on a firefighting vehicle when not in use. Also, it is desirable to provide such a float that is quickly and easily inflatable.